I love my Dewalt hand drill (corded), but it's messing up my electron-free woodworking mojo. I need to learn about braces, bits, hand drills, pretty much everything, and then get outfitted with a starter set. I know so little I don't even know what questions to ask.
Help!
Concerning braces.
Don't know your location, but in some parts of the country to hear folks tell it they have to wear a hardhats cause their falling out of the sky. Not so around here, but...
I'd start with a 10" throw, as these are the most common found. If the price is cheap I wouldn't concern with the make to start off with, The main thing to check for is play in the bearings at the chuck, wear of the jaws themselves and the ratchet mechanism in good order. That being said the Stanley Bell Systems are tank built and if in good working order, it's one of those cry once issues.
Size matters when it come to the throw. I have three go to braces. 8"-10"& 14" from my experience the smaller gives better control. I often will start with the the 8"to establish the angle and then If I need more torque, go to a larger one.
I'll leave the bits to others that will be along shortly.
For smaller dia, the Miller Falls no2s are not hard to come by and has been the standard for along time.
Keep doing the gleaning and when you settle on your needs you can always post WTB in the S&S if nothing shows up locally.
Regards,Lamar
My 6 inch brace is super handy use it all the time, and as a driver. Also recommend a good egg beater, mine drills most of my holes below 1/2 inch, add a good set of counter sinks....need a very good set of bits to go along
Andy
I like the Lion chuck braces that were sold by Millers Falls, Craftsman, and PS&W. Very nice and a fraction of the price of the more popular models.
BTW
Admiral has a very nice egg beater at a good price in the for sale section. It's about as good as it gets fo a small version
Andy
You are peering over the lip of a mighty abyss. Like so many quests start off, the first question to be asked is, what do you want to build? Boxes needing hinge screw pilot holes and perhaps lock or escutcheon pins would get different answers from say Windsor chair building or replica Viking longships.
Matt
Let me know what you would like. I over bought some braces for everyone and I was going to sell them but do not mind giving one away or so.
To me the thing is how tall you are and what you are doing. For me I like the 10" swing and the 8" when I am sitting down. A taller person might want a 12" or so but then again I do not know much about all of them. I do know there are 2 and 3 clamps in a head and some are ratcheting and so on and so on. I even have a 18" extension for a brace.
(01-30-2017, 11:47 PM)blackhat Wrote: [ -> ]You are peering over the lip of a mighty abyss. Like so many quests start off, the first question to be asked is, what do you want to build? Boxes needing hinge screw pilot holes and perhaps lock or escutcheon pins would get different answers from say Windsor chair building or replica Viking longships.
I already have a viking longship, so that's covered.
My plan for my next ten projects--also known as my first ten projects--is to do a display cabinet (a big one) for a friend of mine, and then nine interior doors in the house to replace the ugly hollow core junk we have. Realistically, that plan will change, and stuff will get dropped in among the doors on the schedule. Drill wise, none of that seems like really heavy work, right?
(01-31-2017, 12:19 AM)Arlin Eastman Wrote: [ -> ]Matt
Let me know what you would like. I over bought some braces for everyone and I was going to sell them but do not mind giving one away or so.
To me the thing is how tall you are and what you are doing. For me I like the 10" swing and the 8" when I am sitting down. A taller person might want a 12" or so but then again I do not know much about all of them. I do know there are 2 and 3 clamps in a head and some are ratcheting and so on and so on. I even have a 18" extension for a brace.
Thanks, Arlin. I appreciate the offer. I don't honestly know yet what I need. If you happen to have what I need when I figure it out, I'll gladly accept a brace in exchange for a donation to your project for the veterans. (I'm still working on that other thing, no nibbles yet. Gonna nag my buddy in a day or so).
The brace and bit were commonly used into the '70s, I know I did. You will find a 100 10" swing braces for every one of a different swing. Almost all are good, just some better. As with any woodworking, a sharp bit makes it easier. They are very easy to sharpen, finding a auger bit file is more difficult. Lee Valley sells them.
The egg beater drills allow great control. Think of drilling a 1/16" hole 1/8" deep. You do need one.
Both brace and bits and egg beater drills are best found used.